Covering for surfaces exposed to the weather



Oct. 13, 1936. s. c. STRAUB ET AL 2,057,545

COVERING FOR SURFACES EXPOSED TO THE WEATHER Original Filed Nov. 12, 1932 INVENTORS SAM/E4 C. STE/4V5 fluag wwzo Mars/10m? ATTORNEYS Patented Get. 13, 1936 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE COVERING FOR SURFACES EXPOSED I TO THE WEATHER Application November 12, 1932, Serial No. 642,382 Renewed February 5, 1936 23 Claims.

This invention relates to a covering for laying upon a surface, more especially upon the surface of walls, to simulate a structure of masonry. The invention relates more particularly to a wa terproof covering in the form of a unit intended for laying in complementary relation to simila units upon the surface.

Coverings having for their purpose the simulation of masonry structures heretofore have been proposed in the form of strips or of sheets upon which the simulation of the masonry joints has been provided by stripes across the sheet for both the longitudinal and transverse joints of the masonry. Also it has been suggested to simulate said joints of the masonry by grooves or channels in the surface of. the sheet, especially in the surface of asphalt coated and slate surfaced sheets of roofing material. Moreover, it has been proposed to simulate the transverse joints of the masonry by cutouts, through the base or body of the sheet when the elements in the form of strips or sheets have been so de-' signed forlaying upon a structure in overlapping arrangement that the portions of the sheet having the cutouts therein are overlapped upon portions of subjacent elements in which there are no cutouts. Thus a water-tight and weathertight joint has been provided in a manner similar to that afforded by the usual arrangement of shingles or shingle strips.

.Because of the necessity of overlapping individual units and the individual courses of such strips to secure full protection against the weather, especially with strips which utilize cutouts to simulate the transverse joints of the masonry, not only is it necessary to use a large amount of material owing to the relatively large percentage of overlap in the assembly of such units but the cost of laying such units is excessive because of the labor required to lay each individual unit in its proper relation to the other units in the overlapping arrangement in order to makev certain that the cutouts are properly located upon an underlying surface having no cutouts, thus to insure the water-tight and weather-proof construction. In order somewhat to lessen the cost of such constructions, we are aware that heretofore it has been proposed to provide a plurality of courses upon the portion to be exposed of a shingle element or unit with a corresponding increase in the extent of the portion of the element or unit which is to be overlapped in order properly to underlie the cutouts in said exposed portion of the superimposed element. While this expedient reduces somewhat the cost of laying .the elements and provides an element which is convenient to handle more rapidly to cover a given area, nevertheless there is no substantial reduction accomplished in the amount of material used to produce a proper coverage of the surface to be protected.

It is an object, therefore, of the present in-: vention to provide a covering which may be easily laid with a small amount of labor while providing water-tight and weather-tight construction.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a unit in which the amount of material necessary to effect coverage is less than is usually necessary with covering elements.

A further object of the invention is to provide a particular form of element or unit having large coverage which will insure the prevention of leakage at the joints between said units when arranged upon the surface.

It is also a purpose of our invention to provide a covering in which preferably a large number of courses of the masonry are simulated, which courses are demarked upon the exposed surface of the covering.

Preferably in order most suitably to carry out the simulation of the joints of the masonry we utilize cutouts in the covering, especially for the simulation of the transverse joints. In order to accomplish this purpose, we provide a facing sheet or element having upon its surface to be exposed a simulation of them'asonry structure in which some of the joints and especially the transverse joints may be simulated by cutouts in thebody of said sheet or element. The cutouts in said facing element or sheet are arranged so as to be surrounded by the material of the body of the sheet, the major portion of which is retained and acts to maintain the form of the sheet. For example,.

these cutouts may be of a. width corresponding to the width of the joints of the masonry and to simulate the transverse masonry joints may extend between the simulations of the longitudinal in any suitable manner, such as the formation of a stripe upon the surface of said facing sheet or by grooves or channels embossed or scraped in the surface of said sheet or in a coating upon the surface thereof.

If such an element or sheet alone were placed upon the surface of a structure to be covered merely in abutting arrangement with similar sheets or elements, not only would leakage occur through the joints between the abutting elements, but leakage would occur through the cutouts whether used to simulate longitudinal or transverse joints. In a covering exposed to the weather, water would have opportunity to run in behind the covering element at each cutout. In order to provide proper protection while maintaining the advantage of the simulation produced by the cutouts, we place behind or underneath the facing element or sheet, leaving exposed the side thereof which has the simulation of the masonry thereon, a backing in such form as to provide a seal or at least a cover upon each cutout opening. In one form of our invention we may utilize a sheet of backing material having such an extent as at least completely to underlie the area of the superimposed facing sheet within the boundaries of which the cutoutslie.

In some forms of our invention we apply adhesive between the superimposed facing sheet and the backing sheet in order to hold the backing in place. This adhesive may be applied to the whole of the contacting surfaces of the sheets or only to the portions thereof adjacent the cutouts so as to hold the backing in close contact with the, superimposed sheet.

In one embodiment of our invention the backing may be in a plurality of pieces not fully co-extensive with the area of the superimposed sheet within the boundaries of which the cutouts lie but arranged to cover all said cutouts with individual pieces or with pieces covering more than one cutout. The depth of the recess formed by the cutout is thus maintained and the simulation of the recessed masonry joint is obtained with the full eifect as in constructions heretofore used.

In the preferred form of our invention we provide a backing sheet at least co-extensive with the area of the superimposed facing sheet in which the cutouts lie. Preferably also we bond the sheets together with an adhesive, such as asphalt, therebetween applied over the whole and all of the contacting, areas because this form of the, covering is simple and easy to manufacture. However, when the form of the invention using sheets with co-extensive areas is utilized it is not in all cases necessary to cause the sheets to ad here together, at least to the extent of fully covering the contacting areas with adhesive, in order to prevent water; which .enters the cutout from running behind the superimposed sheet. Water which thus enters the cutout in some cases may be permitted to run behind the superimposed facing sheetbut upon the outer surface of the underlying backing sheet. The water passing be tween the sheets may be led out upon a subjacent sheet by suitably overlapping the sheets and backing. By suitable form's hereafter to be more particularly described we may provide for overlaps and interlocking of the sheets which will insure that the joints between laterally adjacent as well as subjacent sheets or elements are watertight and weather-proof.

The character of the surface of at least those portions of the underlying or backing sheet which are visible through the cutouts preferably is such as will provide a simulation of the character of the surface of masonry joints. In the form of the invention in which the underlying backing sheet adheres to the superimposed facing sheet those portions only of the underlying sheet which are visible through the cutouts preferably are provided with such a surface. On the other hand, in that form of the invention in which the backing is fully coextensive with the area of the facing sheet in which the cutouts lie and in which form the adhesive in some cases may be omitted, we may provide the underlying sheet upon its whole surface with a surface character which simulates the surface of the masonry joints so that wherever said surface appears through the cutouts the character of the masonry joints will be given to the simulated transverse joints.

In order to reduce the thickness and weight, as well as the total amount of material used in con structing the units of the invention or in providing a covering utilizing a facing sheet having cutouts together with a backing sheet, we may use for one of the sheets of the covering a sheet of material thinner than the usual roofing sheet. Preferably the backing sheet is made the thinner of the two sheets, the superimposed facing sheet which has the cutouts therein being of the normal thickness of a roofing sheet usually used with the surfacing of granular material thereon for simulation of the masonry joints. Not only is the usual material thus used but with this thicker sheet for the facing sheet the depth of the simulated transverse masonry joints is accentuated by thedepth of the cutout. This becomes-of especial advantage when the simulation of the longitudinal joints of the masonry, especially in the representation of brickwork, is produced by grooves scraped in the asphalt coating upon the roofing sheet according to the process disclosed by Outman in the Patent 1,426,497. In some cases, however, the thickness of the superimposed facing sheet may also be reduced, thus making it possible to provide a covering having the normal thickness of roofing but composed of two sheets in superimposed relation as described. Such a combination may be effective when the simulation of the longitudinal joint of the masonry is provided by a stripe of asphalt or of granular material or by other means upon the surface of the facing sheet. In some cases also the exposed facing sheet may be of thin material and the backing sheet of thicker material in order to provide the desired thickness of the covering.

As an example of the thickness of the sheets used in the preferred form of the invention, we may provide a facing sheet of the standard weight for slate surfaced roofing, namely, about lbs.

per roofing square, that is, per 108 sq. ft. of the roofing material. While heavier or lighter material may be used, as mentioned above, by using a standard weight of slate surfaced roofing we may form the facing sheet from ordinary material available and from material which may be prepared in the usual processes of manufacture. For the backing sheet we may use an asphalt felt weighing about 15 lbs. per square or per 108 sq. ft. of the felt. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the weight of such an asphalt felt, having no coating of asphalt thereon nor a surfacing of slate but merely being saturated with asphalt, will be approximately one-half of the weight of the asphalt felt, namely, 30 lbs. per square or per 108 sq. ft. of the felt, without the coating and surfacing which is used to produce slate surfaced roofing of the standard weight of 85 lbs. per square, the difference between the 30 lb. weight of the asphalt felt and the 85 lbs. per

square for the slat surfaced roofing being due to 75 the coating of asphalt and the surfacing of the granular slate. The weight of the asphalt felt utilized for the backing sheet may, however, be any of the weights in commercial use, of say from 12 lbs. to 30 lbs. per 108 sq. ft. of the felt. As mentioned above, the weight of the asphalt felt used in making the slate-surfaced roofing of the facing sheet may also be varied and, within the scope of the invention, said variations may be such as those indicated for the backing sheet. Moreover, various combinations of the weights of the two sheets may be used.

The invention will now be more particularly described in connection with the drawing in which:

Figure 1 shows an arrangement of the roofing sheets of our invention in assembly;

Figure 2 shows a modified form of the covering of the invention;

, Figure 3 shows another embodiment of the invention;

Figure 4 shows a typical cross section of the superimposed sheets.

In Figure 1 are shown backing sheets I arranged, as upon a surface of a structureto be covered, in staggered relation and with a small amount of overlap at 3 usually known as head lap. The extent of this overlap may be of the degreepf two inches as is customary- In some cases, especially where the covering is applied for simulation of the masonry but is not exposed to severe action of the weather, the backing sheet may principally provide the surface having the character of masonry joints and the head lap may be omitted. The sheets I then may be arranged with their longitudinal edges 8 and 2|] abutting.

The facing sheets or elements 2 are @shown in slightly offset position with respect to the sheets I. The facing elements or sheets 2 are arranged with their longitudinal edges abutting but in staggered relation similarly to the backing sheets I. It will be noted that, in the form and arrangement shown in Figure 1, the area of the sheets I extending above the upper edges 6 of the facing elements 2 is greater than the amount of extension of the facing sheets or elements 2 below the lower edges 8 of the sheets I. This difference in the amount of extension makes possible the overlap 3 of sheets I, that is, the head lap as mentioned above.

In the particular form of the invention shown in Figure 1 the transverse or vertical width of the facing sheet 2 is such as to provide for five courses of brickwork. These courses of the brickwork are separated from each other by longitudinal stripes I across the facing sheet 2 to simulate the longitudinal joints of the. brickwork. In the particular form shown in Figure 1 the facing sheet 2 is provided with a stripe along its upper edge to simulate a longitudinal joint at said edge, while the lower edge 5 of the facing sheet 2 is formed at the edge of the simulated bricks of the' lowermost course of the bricks. These longitudinal stripes may be formed, as mentioned above, in any suitable way but preferably by scraping grooves in the asphalt coating applied upon a sheet of roofing material to which coating, upon the areas II between the grooves I0, slate or other granular surfacing material is caused to adhere of such a character as to provide a simulation of the brick surface.

Transversely of the longitudinal stripes or grooves are provided representations of the trans- V verse joints of the masonry or brickwork. These representations preferably are produced by cutouts I2 in the body of the facing sheet extending between the longitudinal stripes or grooves. By forming the cutouts I2 with a width such as to simulate the width of the transverse or vertical joint of the brickwork and by making the length of the cutouts substantially equal to the transverse dimension of the bricks, the cutouts, except for those at the lower edge of the element or sheet 2-, are entirely surrounded by the material of the body of the facing sheet. Thus the form of the facing sheet is maintained so that it may be applied to the surface to be covered, that is, superimposed upon the backing provided by the sheets I or as a whole may be adhesively bound to the backing sheet. The cutouts I2 are staggered in the embodiment shown in Figure 1 to simulate the usual arrangement of stretchers in the courses. Various modifications of the positions of the cutouts may be adopted in order to simulate other forms of brickwork such as the Flemish bond or header and stretcher courses and other well known constructions of brickwork or other masonry.

A form of the invention also may be illustrated by Figure 1 in which a covering unit is provided, said unit having a facing element on which there is the simulation of the brickwork or of other masonry, in which simulation the longitudinal joints may be provided by stripes upon the surface of a facing sheet or element 2 and the transverse joints are provided by cutcuts through the body of said element or sheet. In this form of the invention the facing element or sheet 2 preferably is adhesively bound to or otherwise fastened upon the backing sheet, I to form therewith a complete unit ready-for laying upon the surface to be covered. As shown in Figure 1, the head lap may be provided by using for the backing sheet I a sheet of material having such a transverse dimension and so fastened to the facing element 2 that the upper portion of the backing sheet extends beyond the upper edge 6 of the facing element 2 a greater distance than the lower portion of said facing element 2 extends beyond the lower edge 8 of the backing sheet I. When two such sheets are adhesively fastened together it is apparent, in laying the combination unit upon the surface to be covered with the lower edge 5 of the superimposed facing element 2 abutting the upper edge 6 of the superimposed facing element 2 of a combination unit previously laid, that the head lap will be properly produced without further gaging or other method of insuring the lap of the backing sheets I.

Moreover, by a similar extension of the backing sheet I at one end, say at the right hand end, of the facing element 2 beyond the edge I of said element 2 to a greater extent than the extension of said facing element 2 beyond the left hand end 9 of the backing sheet I, the transverse or vertical overlap 4 which is desirable to insure water tightness may be provided. In some cases, however, the transverse overlap may be omitted and where neither head lap nor transverse overlap is necessary the backing sheet and the superimposed element 2 may be of equal size, the offset arrangement of the two sheets providing a desirable lapping of the combination elements to insure that the covering will lieevenly upon the surface to be covered.

It will be noted in the embodiment shown in Figure 1 that the position of'the cutouts with respect to the transverse edge of the facing sheet has been so determined that said edge of said sheet cuts across the simulated masonry surfaces. This construction has the advantage of providing a straight edge for the end edges of the facing sheets 2 so that they may be easily abutted one against the other in laying the elements. The lower edge of the facing sheet or element 2 is intersected by cutouts I2 which extend from said edge and which are not surrounded entirely by the material of the sheet. This form of the edge of the facing sheet is similar to that of many roofing units and is satisfactory because the tabs or portions of the sheet at its lower edge may depend from the -remainder of the body of the sheet without a tendency to curl up. It will be noted that a portion of the body of the facing sheet along the longitudinal stripe III at the upper edge 6 surrounds the cutouts I2 adjacent said upper edge to assist in holding the simulated masonry or brick units I I in proper relation to each other and to avoid the curling at said upper edge. When, however, as shown in Figure 1, the combination units are made by adhesively fastening the superimposed facing element or sheet 2 to the backing sheet, the mechanical function of the facing material coinciding with the uppermost stripe I0 is unnecessary and said stripe III at the edge 6 of the sheet 2 may be utilized merely for the simulation of the longitudinal joint of the masonry lying between the uppermost course of the bricks II and the lowermost course of bricks upon a unit to be laid next above.

The backing sheets I may be provided with a surface of a character to simulate the surface of masonry joints, which surface may be seen through the cutouts I2 of the facing sheet 2. When the superimposed facing sheets 2 are not adhesively fastened to the backing sheets I, the

facing sheets 2 may be laid in any suitable relation to the backing sheets I, particularly when the surface of the sheet-I has thereon the masonry joint simulative character over its entire extent or at least over that portion of its area within which the cutouts will lie. When the facing sheet 2 and the backing sheet I are adhesively bound together, the sheet I may also have a surface character to simulate a masonry joint and the adhesive may be so placed upon an area or areas of the sheet I as to underlie the simulated masonry units and not to interfere with the exposure of the sheet I through the cutouts I2. In certain cases thesheets I and 2 may be adhesively fastened togetherand a surfacing applied through the cutouts I2 to simulate the surface of the masonry joints, the cutouts providing the depth and sharp demarcation as mentioned above.

Figure 2 shows a modified form of the invention in which the end edges of the facing sheet or element 2 are out in complementary stepped arrangernent in such a way as to provide for the simulation of the transverse joints of the masonry between the simulated masonry units at the ends of the respective sheets or elements 2 when laid adjacent each other. This simulation is accomplished by cutsin the body of the sheet corresponding to the cutouts I2 as described and. shown in Figure 1. The stepped formation of the end of the sheet in itself is not a part of our invention as this form and the means of securing the spacing of the ends to form the spaces I2 have been described and have been claimed by others. According to our invention, however, we utilize the stepped form of the ends of the sheets in combination with the backing sheets I which may be provided with a vertical overlap 4, which overlap is so located in the arrangement of the elements upon the surface to be covered as to pass v between two successive openings or spaces I2 which simulate the joints of the masonry. Thus a water-tight construction is produced and any water entering through the cutouts I2 may not easily find its way behind the backing sheets I because of the overlap 'being spaced from said cutouts or openings I2. Moreover, when the facing elements or sheets 2 are bound to the backing sheets I as by an adhesive toform units, the amount of the superimposed facing sheet 2 extending beyond the backing sheet I is reduced, thus preventing damage to the free portion of the sheet 2 before said units are laid upon the stripe at the lower edge of the facing element instead of at its upper edge.

The elements as shown if reversed would position the longitudinal edge strip at the top of the unit. Such reversal is possible when the two sheets are fastened together as a unit if the element 2 is left free from the portion of the backing sheet adjacent that edge thereof beyond which the facing element extends. It then is possible to slip the lower edge of the backing sheet next above between the facing element and the backing sheet previously laid so as properly to form the head lap of. the backing sheets with the upper backing sheet overlapping the lower.

, The cutouts in Figure 2 have similarly been dovetail" or interlocking form .of the edge of the sheet. It will be noted that abutments I5 are provided to insure the spacing between the ends of the simulated masonry units upon two adjacent elements 2 in the interlocking arrangement in order to provide the spaces or openings I2 in suitable relation to the cutouts in the body of the sheets. Moreover, the abutments I5 afford a limitation of the length of the cutouts or spaces I2 so that the simulated longitudinal joint is continuous, the transverse joint being simulated by the cutout or space I2 extending between the longitudinal joints and only along the transverse dimension of the masonry unit or brick.

The facing element or sheet 2 of the composite unit, at the left hand of the construction as shown in Figure 3, extends beyond the right hand end I3 of the backing sheet I of said unit. Correspondingly the left hand end I4 of the backing sheet I of the unit at the right hand extends beyond the left hand end of the superimposed facing element or sheet 2 of said unit. As shown in Figure 3, the vertical overlap 4 is thus provided,

but in some constructions this may be omitted and the edges I3 and It may be abutted. It will be seen from the figure that the tongues or extensions II; of the facing element at the left hand overlap upon the backing .sheet I of the.right hand unit and interlock with the tongues I! of the superimposed facing element2 of-the right hand unit. It will be noted from the figure that the forms of the tongues I6 and I! are similar to each other but that they'are complementary and may be right hand and left hand. Other forms of the tongues may be utilized in order toprovide the interlocking construction. It also will be noted in connection with Figure 3 that the relation of the superimposed facing sheet or element 2 with respect to the backing sheet i may be such as to provide for the head lap between two backing sheets arranged one above the other upon the surface.

Other forms of the invention may be suggested to those skilled in the art which embody the features of the backing sheet behind a sheet or element having cutouts in the body thereof to simulate the masonry joints and held in suitable relation to the backing sheet to provide for the simulation of the surface of the masonry joint while insuring water-tight and weather-tight construction. Moreover, while the invention has been illustrated in the specific form for the simulation of brickwork, it is equally applicable to the simulation of other forms of masonry. All such modifications and embodiments are included within the scope of our invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A covering unit comprising a facing sheet having adhering to the surface thereof material of a character to simulate the surface of masonry units, said facing sheet having a stripe extending across the portion thereof to be exposed, said stripe being of defined width and being positioned upon the facing sheet to demark a masonry unit and to simulate a longitudinal joint adjacent said masonry unit, said facing sheet having cutouts therein extending transversely to and meeting said stripe to simulate the transverse joint of the masonry, and a backing sheet of such'extent as to cover completely all said cutouts and substantially closing said cutouts at the back of said facing sheet but leaving the recess of said cutouts in said facing sheet.

2. A covering comprising a facing sheet having adhering to the surface thereof material of a character to, simulate the surface of masonry units, said facing sheet having a stripe extending across the portion thereof to be exposed, said stripe being of defined width and being positioned upon the facing sheet to demark a masonry unit and to simulate a longitudinal joint adjacent said masonry unit, said facing sheet having cutouts therein extending transversely to and meeting said stripe to simulate the transverse joint of the masonry, and a backing sheet of such extent as to cover completely all said cutouts and closing said cutouts at the back of said facing sheet but leaving the recess of said cutouts in said facing sheet, said backing sheet at least-on the portions thereof covering said cutouts and exposed there- 'thrcugh having a surface of a character to simulate the surface of masonry joints.

3. A covering comprising a facing sheet of roofing material surfaced with granular mineral material, said surface being divided by like extending spacedstripes, said stripes extending across the sheet and having a width and a character of surface to simulate the longitudinal joints of masonry, said sheet having therein spaced cutouts extending transversely to and meeting said stripes of a width to simulate the transverse joints of the masonry, said stripes and said cutouts respectively being spaced apart distances to demark the transverse and longitudinal dimensions of the simulated masonry units, and a backing of sheet roofing material adhering by means of a bituminous adhesive closely to the under surface of said element and covering and sealing all said cutouts without filling the recesses formed thereby.

4. A covering comprising a facing sheet of roofing material surfaced with granular mineral material, said surface being divided by like extending spaced stripes, said stripes extending longitudinally of the sheet and having a width and a. character of surface to simulate the longitudinal joints of masonry, said sheet having therein spaced cutouts extending transversely to and meeting said stripes of a width to simulate the' transverse joints of the masonry, said stripes and said cutouts respectively being spaced apart distances to demark the transverse and longitudinal dimensions of the simulated masonry units, and a backing of sheet roofing material of an extent to cover all said cutouts and having adhering to its surface next to the back of the facing sheet at least upon the portions thereof registering with said cutouts granular mineral material of a character to simulate the surface of masonry joints the extent of the backing and facing sheets relative to each other being such as to provide a weather tight covering without overlapping facing sheets laid adjacent each other in an assembly.

5. A covering unit comprising an element to be used as a facing sheet having demarked upon the surface thereof a simulation of a plurality of courses of masonry, the simulation of the transverse joints of the masonry being provided by cutouts in said facing sheet, and a backing of sheet material under said element having an extent to cover all said cutouts and of such form with respect to said element that the structure upon which the covering unit is laid is fully covered and the simulation of the masonry is carried out when the facing sheets are abutted in an assembly of the units upon the structure.

6. A unit for covering a surface exposed to the weather, comprising two sheets of weather resisting material of predetermined area one superimposed upon the other but not coinciding therewith, said superimposed sheet having therein cutouts within the common area of overlap of said sheets, said underlying sheet having no cuts through the sheet within said common area, said superimposed sheet having demarcations upon the exposed surface thereof demarking with said cutouts masonry units and simulating the longitudinal and transverse joints of the masonry, the'character of the surface of the underlying sheet visible through said cutouts being such as to simulate the surface of the masonry joint, said sheets being so formed and so positioned relative to each other that the simulation of the masonry is carried out when said units are laid in adjacent arrangement without overlapping said superimposed sheets and the cutouts are backed by an underlying sheet.

'7. A covering unit comprising a facing sheet having demarked upon the surface thereof a simulation of a plurality of courses of masonry, the simulation of the transverse joints of the masonry being provided by cutouts in said facing sheet, and a backing of sheet material under said facing sheet having an extent to cover all said cutouts, said underlying backing sheet having portions thereof extending beyond the superimposed facing sheet and said superimposed facing sheet having portions thereof extending beyond said backing sheet, said extending portions of abutted to carry out the simulation of the masonry and the backing sheets extend under all the cutouts.

8. A covering unit comprising a facing sheet having demarked upon the surface thereof a simulation of a plurality of courses of masonry,

the simulation of the transverse joints of the which is opposite to said extending portion thereof, whereby when the units are arranged with the edges of the facing sheets of adjacent units in abutment the underlying backing sheets are arranged with a lap.

9. A covering unit according to claim 8 in which both a head lap for the longitudinal joints of the backing sheets and a transverse lap for the transverse joints of the backing sheets are provided.

10. A covering unit comprising a facing sheet of a form having longitudinal and transverse dimensions, said facing sheet having demarked upon the surface thereof a simulation of a plurality of courses of masonry, the simulation of the transverse joints of the masonry being provided by cutouts in said sheet, and a backing sheet of a form having longitudinal and transverse dimensions, said backing sheet having its longitudinal and transverse dimensions both respectively greater than said dimensions of said facing sheet, said facing sheet being superimposed upon and suitably fastened to said backing sheet to form therewith the unit, said facing sheet being arranged with the simulation of the masonry exposed and with two adjacent edges of said superimposed facing sheet extending beyond the corresponding edges of the backing sheet and arranged generally parallel thereto, said backing sheet covering all said cutouts except the cutouts in the por: tion of the superimposed sheet extending beyond the backing sheet, whereby when the units are laid with the extending portions of the superimposed facing sheets overlapping upon the extending portions of the backing sheets of adjacent units a covering is provided in which the backing sheets are laid with both head lap and vertical lap and completely underlie all the cutouts of the superimposed sheets.

11. A unit for covering a surface exposed to the weather, comprising two sheets of roofing material each of a predetermined area and shape, one of said sheets being superimposed upon and fastened to the other to form therewith the unit, said tending beyond said underlying sheet, said extending portions being of such dimensions and form and being so arranged with'respect to each other as to fit together when two units are placed upon a structure adjacent to each other with the extending portion of the superposed sheet overlapping the extending portion of the underlying sheet of the adjacent unit, the simulation of the masonry upon the exposed surface of the superimposed sheet being so arranged that said simulation is carried out when two units are so adjacently arranged.

12. A covering unit according to claim 7; in which the edge of the portion of the facing sheet to be overlapped upon the backing sheet of an adjacent unit is out along the lines of the simulated masonry joints, the opposite edge of said facing sheet of said unit being cut to a complementary form to fit to the edge of the overlapping portion of the facing sheet of a similar unit laid adjacent thereto.

13. A covering unit according to claim 7, in which the edge of the portion of the facing sheet to be overlapped upon the backing sheet of an adjacent unit is out along the lines of the simulated masonry joints, the opposite edge of said facing sheet of said unit being similarly cut but of the opposite hand to said overlapping edge of said facing sheet.

14. A covering unit according to claim 7, in which the edge of the portion of the facing sheet to be overlapped upon the backing sheet of an adjacent unit is out along the lines of the simulated masonry joints, the opposite edge of said facing sheet of said unit being similarly cut but of the opposite hand to said edge overlapping said facing sheet, the form of said edges being such as to provide spaces between the simulated masonry units on the adjacent covering units to simulate the transverse joints of masonry at said edges.

15. A covering unit according to claim '7, in which the edge of the portion of the facing sheet to be overlapped upon the backing sheet of an adjacent unit is out along the lines of the simulated masonry joints, the opposite edge of said superimposed facing sheet of said unit being cut to a complementary form to fit to the edge of the overlapping portion of the facing sheet of a unit laid adjacent thereto, said complementary edges being cut in stepped form successively along the simulated longitudinal and transverse joints of the masonry, the backing sheet being so positioned with respect to the superimposed sheet that its transverse edge passes across said stepped edge of the superimposed facing sheet, whereby a part only of the stepped edge portion of said superimposed facing sheet extends beyond the backing sheet.

16. A covering unit according to claim '7, in which the edge of the portion of the facing sheet to be overlapped upon the backing sheet of an adjacent unit is out along the lines of the simulated masonry joints, the opposite edge of said superimposed facing sheet of said unit being cut to a complementary form to fit to the edge of the overlapping portion of the facing sheet of a unit laid adjacent thereto, said complementary edges being cut in stepped form successively along the simulated longitudinal and transverse joints of the masonry, the backing sheet being so positioned with respect to the superimposed sheet that its transverse edge passes across said stepped edge of the superimposed sheet at a point adjacent the middle of said stepped edge, whereby substantially only one-half of the stepped edge fit to the overlapping edge of with respect to said portion of the superimposed facing sheet extends beyond'the backing sheet.

17. A covering unit according to claim 7, in which the edge of the portion of the facing sheet to be overlapped upon the underlying backing an adjacent unit, a portion of the underlying backing sheet extending beyond said opposite edge of the facing sheet to underlie said overlapping portion of the adjacent unit.

18. A covering unit according to claim 7, in which the edge of the portion of the facing sheet to be overlapped upon the underlying backing sheet of an adjacent of the simulated masonry joints, the opposite edge of said facing sheet being similarly cut to fit the overlapping edge of an adjacent unit, a portion of the underlying backing sheet extending beyond said opposite edge of the facing sheet to underlie said overlapping portion of the adjacent unit, the transverse edges of the facing sheet which are cut to fit to the transverse edges of the facing sheets of adjacent units being out along successive staggered simulated transverse and longitudinal joints of the masonry to form interlocking tongues and recesses.

19. A covering unit according to claim 7, in which the edge of the portion of the facing sheet to be overlapped upon the underlying backing sheet of an adjacent unit is cut along the lines of the simulated masonry joints, the opposite edge of said facing sheet being similarly cut to fit to the overlapping edge of an adjacent unit, a portion of the underlying backing sheet extending beyond said opposite edge of the facing sheet and underlying said overlapping portion of the adjacent unit, the transverse edges of the facing sheet which are cut to fit to the transverse edges of the facing sheet .of adjacent units being cut in stepped form successively along the simulated transverse and longitudinal joints of the masonry.

20. A covering comprising a facing sheet having a cut in said sheet simulatively at least partly demarking a structural unit, and a backing material covering said out at the back of said facing sheet,- said backing material being so formed unit is out along the lines,

facing sheet that a. plurality of said facing sheets may be so abutted in an assembly to carry out the simulation of the struc tural units as to leave exposed the joint between said abutted sheets while said joint and all openings through the facing of the assembled covering provided by said facing sheets have a portion of the backing material at the back thereof completely covering said opening.

22. A covering comprising a facing sheet having a cutout in said sheet simulatively demarking a structural unit, and backing material at the back of said facing sheet, said covering being formed for exposure of the facing sheet in an assembly of such coverings so that the exposed faces of the facing sheets form a substantially continuous surface to simulate a structure composed of said units but with the openings through the facing including said cutouts in the facing sheet covered by said backing sheet.

23. A covering comprising a facing sheet having a surface of a character to simulate the surface of a structural unit, said facing sheet also having cutouts therein simulating spaces between structural units, and backing material closing said cutouts at the back of said facing sheet, said covering being formed for exposure of the facing sheet so as to present a substantially continuous surface with other'facing sheets in an assembly of such coverings to produce the simulation of a structure composed of such structural units with the spaces therebetween and so that the openings through the facing including said cutouts in the facing sheet are covered by said backing sheet.

SAMUEL C. STRAUB.

AUDENRIED WHITTEMORE. 

